>>Frey, Advocates Call for Assault Weapons Ban Following South Minneapolis Shooting
(Minneapolis, MN) — In the wake of a deadly shooting at a church and school in South Minneapolis, Mayor Jacob Frey joined gun safety advocates and elected officials Thursday to demand swift legislative action on gun reform. Speaking at a press conference, Frey urged lawmakers to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, calling the move essential to curbing gun violence in Minnesota communities. Angela Ferrell-Zabala, executive director of Moms Demand Action, delivered a passionate plea for change.
“Assault weapons or weapons of war, period. They are designed for the battleground,” Ferrell-Zabala said. “They don’t belong in our schools, churches, or communities. And yet here we are again, because politicians would rather protect the gun lobby’s profits than protect our kids.” The shooting, which claimed multiple lives on Wednesday, has reignited debate over gun laws in the state. Several lawmakers present at the event signaled growing momentum for legislative action, saying the time is now to bring the issue to a vote.
>>Governor Walz Deploys State Law Enforcement to Support Minneapolis
(St. Paul, MN) — Governor Tim Walz has deployed 20 state law enforcement personnel to assist Minneapolis following the mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic School and Church. The Minnesota State Patrol and Department of Natural Resources began supporting the city today(Thurs), focusing on schools and places of worship. “Students deserve to start the school year full of hope, excitement, maybe a little apprehension about what the year may bring,” Walz said. “No child in America should go to school apprehensive of danger, of losing a classmate, of gunshots during prayer.” The deployment includes 14 State Patrol troopers and six DNR officers, organized into squads across five precincts. The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is also assisting with the investigation and other violent crime cases. State officials emphasized the effort is about safety and solidarity, assuring residents they are not alone.
>>Together for Hoffman & Hortman Families Fundraiser in Champlin
(Champlin, MN) — There’s a fundraiser Friday night in Champlin to benefit the families of fallen House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and Senator John Hoffman. The city postponed its Father Hennepin Day events on June 14th following the shootings at the lawmakers’ homes. The fireworks, live music, and other festivities are rescheduled for tomorrow at Mississippi Crossings. The Champlin Dayton Athletic Association will be collecting donations for the Hoffman and Hortman families.
>>Equine West Nile Cases Confirmed in Minnesota
(St. Paul, MN) — The Minnesota Board of Animal Health has confirmed the state’s first equine West Nile virus cases of the year, with at least seven horses testing positive across six counties. State Veterinarian Dr. Brian Hoefs says the mosquito-borne virus typically emerges in late summer as bird migration shifts. “These mosquitoes tend to feed on birds,” Hoefs said. “But as those birds head south, mosquitoes seek other blood sources — which is why we see cases in warm-blooded animals and people, too.” Cases have been reported in Kittson, Fillmore, Lincoln, Wadena, Mille Lacs, and Wabasha counties. Hoefs noted nearly all infected horses were unvaccinated and urged owners to take preventive measures.
West Nile virus can cause severe neurological symptoms in horses and humans. Officials recommend vaccination and mosquito control to reduce risk.
>>Cass Lake Man Shot, Shooter at Large
(Cass County, MN) — A Cass Lake man is hospitalized with serious injuries from a shooting on Thursday. Cass County deputies responded to a 9-1-1 call about a residential shooting in Wilkinson Township in rural Cass Lake. Investigators say an unknown man entered a home, shot a forty-year-old occupant, and fled. The victim was brought to Sanford Bemidji. No arrests have been made.
>>Rochester Man Sentenced for Wife’s Death Due to Neglect
(Rochester, MN) — A Rochester man faces only three-and-a-half years in prison related to the death of his wife. Seventy-five-year-old Scott Loven pleaded guilty to a felony neglect charge in May in exchange for a dropped charge of second-degree manslaughter. Olmsted County court documents say Loven told his wife’s pastor she had died on May 4th, 2023. Loven told police his wife suffered from dementia and hearing and vision loss. He says she fell into the bath while he was helping move her off the toilet, and he ignored her cries for help because he didn’t want to wait at the hospital. His wife died of gastrointestinal hemorrhage due to prolonged immobility due to multiple blunt force injuries, and her death was ruled a homicide.
>>Three Minnesota Lottery Winners, Powerball Jackpot Remains Untouched
(Undated) — Three Minnesota lottery players won big this week, but the nine hundred fifty million dollar Powerball jackpot remains. Two fifty-thousand-dollar Powerball tickets were won, one at Forest Lake Moto Mart in Forest Lake and the other at a Kwik Trip in Cambridge. A North Five lottery player nabbed nearly one hundred twenty-five thousand dollars ($124,745) by purchasing a ticket at Cub Foods in Cottage Grove. The next Powerball jackpot drawing is scheduled for Saturday, August 30th.
>>6-Time Felon Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison
(Minneapolis, MN) — A six-time felon, who previously threatened a metro bus passenger with a gun, was sentenced to nearly ten years in federal prison. Twenty-eight-year-old Clenest Wells Jr. was found guilty on four counts related to illegally possessing firearms and a machine gun. Court documents say trial evidence proved that on three separate occasions between 2020 and ’23, Wells was caught carrying firearms in Minneapolis. One of those times, the gun was found with a “switch” that converts the gun to a machine gun. Wells’ prior convictions include multiple felony assault convictions.
